A round robin study of high-frequency mechanical impact (HFMI)-treated welded joints subjected to variable amplitude loading

High-frequency mechanical impact (HFMI) treatment has been significantly developed as a reliable, effective and user-friendly method for post-weld fatigue strength improvement technique for welded structures. The development of an International Institute of Welding best practice guideline for implementing HFMI has been hindered by the lack of directly comparable experimental data for numerous HFMI methods. In this study, nominally identical longitudinal attachments in high-strength steel were manufactured in one welding workshop and distributed to four HFMI equipment manufacturers for treatment. Specimens were fatigue tested on a machine using identical variable amplitude loading histories. HFMI groove measurements were done for each specimen and X-ray diffraction-based residual stress measurements were performed on 10 specimens. The HFMI groove dimensions and the residual stress states showed similarity in general, however small changes were observed. Experimental results indicate that all of the HFMI-improved welds from the HFMI equipment manufacturers satisfied the previously proposed characteristic S–N line based on both the yield strength and the specimen geometry. Results of the study are valuable and promising with respect to the development of a future guideline. The goal of the study has not been to compare treatments, so specific data points are not associated specific HFMI equipment manufacturers.